A Little Extra: My Name is Candy

Since adopting our two little girls from Lynne and James, nearly a year ago now, I have stayed in contact with them both.  I especially enjoy the emails I receive from Lynne in which she tells me all about little things that the girls used to get up to when they were living with them, or better still, when she sends me photos of the pair before I knew them.  In turn, Lynne enjoys reading my blog as it lets her know that her little girlies have settled perfectly well into a life here and are happy and contented with their new family.  She also notes when I am busy (well up to my tonsils in fact) as the blogs become a bit scarcer, so she took the time over the past couple of weeks to ghostwrite a post from 'Candy' for me to include in my blog. 

For me it was a delight as I was enchanted to hear Candy's story from her own mouth…..

MY NAME IS CANDY

A while ago, my goodie-goodie sister, Kerry, decided to help our mummy, Mary, who was a bit behind on her blog writing, by writing her own blog called My Name is Kerry.

To show I am not as daft as I sometimes appear, and generally act, I have decided to write my own.

In the beginning

When I arrived at the family home in 2007, my sister Kerry was already there, and seemed a giant – she could get my head inside her mouth! I was told that she was 10 weeks older then me (about twice my age then), and that, as we came from the same father, and our mothers who were sisters, they expected another little angel like Kerry. Sorry to have been such a disappointment!

When we were  just pups.  I think Kerry loved me from the start??

On the day after I arrived, my big sister was showing me round the garden, when I suddenly found myself in the swimming pool – at the deep end. I can’t say I remember being pushed, but I have always had my suspicions! Fortunately, my then mummy, Lynne, came rushing down, and scooped me out of the pool, then wrung me out!  Since then, both my sister and I have avoided water like the plague!

Once I settled in

Once I began to grow, and Kerry stopped putting my head in her mouth, life became good, and we spent a lot of time chasing round the garden, chasing birds, barking at whatever was inside the two old olive trees, and going out.

The olive trees held special delights

When we were ushered into Lynne’s C3, we knew we were going walkies in the country or on the beach, but when our harnesses were put on, and we were manhandled into the big Volvo, we knew were going out to the Marina for coffee, where we could wander round the various stalls, and see the dog-life around.

The unkindest cut

When we were two, we were taken to the vets – individually – to have an operation to remove our sex drive. Painful, initially, but at least the male dogs no longer sniff round us!  Looki tried once or twice, but never again.

How I get on with my sister

She’s OK; a bit bossy at times, but, after seven years, we look after each other, along with our brother, Looki. Kerry used to be especially bossy when we went for walks near the house. I used to sniff fox or rabbit trails, and go crashing through the undergrowth, and eventually, after calling me for ever, and me ignoring them, I would hear the words “Kerry, go find Candy”, and know that the game was up. I made it as difficult as possible for her, but eventually, the moment for reckoning arrived, and she would tell me off, in no uncertain terms!

She can be a bit bossy, but Kerry is lovely and soft to cuddle up next to.

Escape from Colditz

The first couple of years, I was quite happy to stay in the garden, but then, I began to wonder what was outside it – there were a lot of noises, and movements and I decided to investigate.

Often, the front gate was left open, but neither my sister nor I deigned to use it, as it seemed beneath our terrier dignity.

Kerry proved not to be much of a terrier, and it was usually left to me to dig the holes, move bricks, wood, fencing, etc., and then, if she could squeeze her fatter body through it, my sister would follow.  Normally, we would just go out of the garden, wander about outside and then come back, either through the hole we had made, or if not, via the front gate – if it was open, we would just wander in, if it was not, we would wait till someone saw us.

Eventually, I got bolder, and started to stay out overnight. At first, Lynne and James would wait for me, but eventually they gave up, and would go to their beds, leaving the front gate open, and I would wander back at my leisure, and go to sleep on the seats outside.

When we moved to the other house, it was too well contained to get out, but when we moved back, I was at it again, despite the various defences increasingly put up to contain me.

Holidays

James worked away a lot of the time, and Lynne often went to see him or our uncle and auntie. When that happened we used to go to Cozy Kennels, where we had our own special cage and then to Glynis and Ian’s, which we always enjoyed as there were always another five or six small dogs of our own size.

I'd be lost without my sister.

And now

We moved to Mary’s house last year, and now live with her and Looki, our brother. We all get on well together, but Looki and I get into more scrapes than Kerry. We are all very happy together. 

(I wonder if they’ll print this?)

(Copyright:  Lynne and Candy)